Rugby columnist

Ready: Waratahs second-rower Will Skelton is in line for a Wallabies debut. Photo: Getty Images

I couldn’t help but have a smile on my face as the well-orchestrated press conference took place on Thursday for the announcement of the Wallabies squad for the French Tests.

I smiled because of how contrasting the naming of the team was to when I was running around. We literally waited for Sports Tonight to put up the graphic with the team names, still with a sense of anticipation.

Some of the Queensland boys even used to ring Qantas to see if they had a booking to Sydney.

As a player there is that special moment when your name is read out. It could be multiple times like has happened to Stephen Moore, or it could be for the first time like for Nathan Charles and locks Sam Carter, Luke Jones and Will Skelton, all rewarded for some great play throughout the Super Rugby season.

Advertisement

Whether they actually make the final line-up has to be seen but to have the chance to represent your country is the ultimate.

The make-up of the team provides some reason for debate with the selection of some of the players and the categories or positions they are under.

The forwards have some questions. Who will be Stephen Moore’s backup rake? Does an uncapped Nathan Charles get the nod over the experienced Tatafu Polota-Nau?

What about the second-rowers? I am all for a debutant to be included in the starting line-up so long as they are surrounded by experience. That's the basis for selecting Will Skelton.

The question is with whom do you partner him? For experience's sake, I don’t think you could look past former Test captain James Horwill.

Perception is that with the Reds struggling this season, along with that, so are the individuals. That’s not necessarily the case and Skelton would benefit under the guise of having a leader in the pack. I think it could even invigorate Horwill as well.

Two incumbents from the spring tour retain their positions in the back row. Scott Fardy and Michael Hooper have been playing well for their states and warrant the selection albeit Fardy has been playing mostly in the second row. His impact will still be strong on the blindside.

That duo will hold down the flanker positions, while the man who will make up the trio and has been playing outstanding rugby for the Rebels is Scott Higginbotham.

Dynamic, explosive and destructive, he possess the skill at the back of the pack to dominate opposite defences. He wins a recall after a hiatus from the international scene and well deserved.

Perhaps the most important and debated position will be that of five-eighth. There was speculation about Quade Cooper retaining his 10 shirt, as events have it Cooper will miss rugby for some time through injury.

Whispers were that Matt Toomua would take over the pivot role anyhow through his good form.

However with the announcement on Thursday, Toomua was bracketed in the centres with Bernard Foley and Kurtley Beale at 10.

The simple scenario is pick and stick. Make the right decision for the French Tests and compliment the players around him.

Toomua does play quite deep in attack when he starts at five-eighth and that could be a potential reason McKenzie sees him as a 12.

The coach has a specialist 10 in Foley and also a player who has held that pivot role prior, in Beale, vying for the crucial role.

Beale made the unselfish role this season of playing out of position at the Tahs. I now think he puts up his hand and lays claim to the 12 jumper as he has benefited from having Foley in the decision-making role.

Do you really want players playing out of position leading into a Test series?

We saw that experiment last year in the Lions series and that failed.

There is still the ability to interchange, but playing one wider gives a player more time and space, and takes away the responsibility of running the team that can sometimes be a burden.

What you don’t want to suffer from is the jack of all trades, specialist of none scenario. What has succeeded this year at the Waratahs is Foley's direction and Beale’s instinctiveness. Keep it the same I say.

Oh but don’t forget Pat McCabe as inside centre, but he is now bracketed in the back three. Is this the strongest indication that McCabe is now thought of as a winger because of the competition from Toomua and Beale?

So how do we read into this scenario of this Wallabies squad? Seems like the coaching staff have picked on form. Their biggest role now is to create stability, to lead them not only through this year of rugby but plan for RWC2015.

16 comments so far

Matt .... too right and as I've said this a couple of times recently.... Link has so many headaches on the Wallaby selection table than to poke a stick at. And that's a good thing.

Foley, after this week's win against the Rebels, should definitely be the fly-half for the Wallaby. End of story. As to KB.... well he can come off the bench or possibly play at inside centre. This combo is working for the Tahs.... so why not the Wallaby. The added bonus of this combination being the ability of these two to bring Izzy into the attack. Nothing like a bit of provincial chemistry to work magic on the international stage ?

As to the rest of the team and selection.... I don't really mind your thoughts on big Will pairing with Horwill.... who knows as this could be a bolter.

I think it's fair to say that Link understands that if he doesn't get the right forward pack combo then it's somewhat irrelevant of who's playing in the Wallaby backs.... again good luck Link !!

Commenter

Machooka

Location

inner west sydney

Date and time

May 24, 2014, 12:05PM

@ Chook.... Congrats to you mate,as it was a good win over "Johnny Reb". I agree with your thoughts on Bernard & KB, as they do say, "if it works, don't change it", and these two are a work, that is working. I do think that Horwill & Simmonds should be "shafted", as they both are not playing that well, and lack that bit of physicality, especially Simmonds. Apart from that, a massive game at Forsyth Barr, with Richie getting a "welcome home", and Ben Smith, proving that he is definitely the best fullback in New Zealand. He made Izzy look dizzy on a few occasions. Cheers.

Commenter

Muzzo

Location

Orange

Date and time

May 25, 2014, 4:37AM

compliment? I think you mean complement

Commenter

zenn

Location

kl

Date and time

May 24, 2014, 8:58PM

Best squad we have had for a while. Tahs, Brumbies and Force looking strong, talent shining, go the wallabies!

Commenter

Ed

Location

Sydney

Date and time

May 24, 2014, 10:54PM

I think we can lock in Lealiifano in there somewhere. We can't be relying on Foley or Beale for the goal kicking duty (particularly after their showing against the Rebels) and Christian is a known radar boot. I reckon: Foley, Lealiifano, Kuridrani, Cummins, AAC and Folau. Leaning towards Beale and Horne on the bench depending on how Tahs go against Chiefs. Beale is in smoking form though, so if him and Foley are nailing them in practise we might see them both making run on.... Argh, I don't know!

Commenter

Dave

Location

London

Date and time

May 24, 2014, 10:59PM

@Dave - Lealiifano's kicking has been ordinary this season. Prior to last round Foley was kicking at 80%. I don't think he should be written off for 1 bad kicking game.

Personally I think Foley and Beale should be kept as a 10/12 combo for the wallabies. They are working very well as a combo and are linking really well with Folau, and also AAC who is a very good chance of being the starting 13.

Commenter

M

Date and time

May 29, 2014, 1:45PM

I would imagine Link has a pretty good idea of his 23 at this stage. The others are there in case there is a training injury. I do believe he has tipped his hand with Foley/Beale and Toomua. I approve whole-heartedly of running Toomua at 12. I think the Brumbies have he and Lilo back to front. Like you Machooka, the bloke I'm not so sure about is Kurtley. I think he gets a bit too much licence in the Tahs, which can create quite a bit of uncertainty in the runners. We'll see. I like the notion of him off the bench against tired legs.I'd love to see Jones and Skelton sharing one lock spot with an experienced guy playing 80 in the other. Problem is that it probably needs to be Simmons to run the lineouts. If so, I just hope he's up to it. Link might stick with the experience of Horwill in the first test and see how it goes, but I think Jones, Skelton and Carter could be our locks for the RWC, now that Douglas has vanished. The loss of Kimlin, Timani and Douglas has left a hole in our stocks. Again, for the lineout I think Link will pick Higginbotham to replace Mowen, unless he goes all in on Palu. All in all the squad is strong, without too many arguments against, just a few who must have been close.Looks as if maybe Mogg's card has been marked along with Robinson.Much as I love Taff, I rather hope Charles gets a run. He's a very special guy.Looking forward to the games. If we click it could be awesome!

Commenter

Chris

Location

Kiama

Date and time

May 25, 2014, 12:33AM

'Do you really want players playing out of position leading into a Test series?

We saw that experiment last year in the Lions series and that failed.'

Yes, McKenzie will not repeat Deans mistake of playing an outside back at 10 (aka JoC experiment. But he should stick with players in their Super Rugby positions. Why disrupt that?

Keep Toomua at 10 and Beale at 12. Both are thriving in their current positions. Foley can come off the bench to cover flyhalf and fullback.

I like Fardy, but again think he should stay in the 2nd row and allow Hodgson to make a start with Hooper and Higginbotham. Horwill has far from impressed anyone with his current performances. But then again, they need a solid lineout caller: Luke Jones.